AdventureRomanceDrama

Samson and Delilah

- HISTORY'S MOST BEAUTIFUL AND TREACHEROUS WOMAN!

When strongman Samson rejects the love of the beautiful Philistine woman Delilah, she seeks vengeance that brings horrible consequences they both regret.

Release Date : 1949-12-21

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Paramount Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Delilah

Original Name : Hedy Lamarr

Gender : Female

Character Name : Samson

Original Name : Victor Mature

Gender : Male

Character Name : The Saran of Gaza

Original Name : George Sanders

Gender : Male

Character Name : Semadar

Original Name : Angela Lansbury

Gender : Female

Character Name : Prince Ahtur

Original Name : Henry Wilcoxon

Gender : Male

Character Name : Miriam

Original Name : Olive Deering

Gender : Female

Character Name : Hazel

Original Name : Fay Holden

Gender : Female

Character Name : Haisham

Original Name : Julia Faye

Gender : Female

Character Name : Saul

Original Name : Russ Tamblyn

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tubal

Original Name : William Farnum

Gender : Male

Character Name : Teresh

Original Name : Lane Chandler

Gender : Male

Character Name : Targil

Original Name : Moroni Olsen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Story Teller

Original Name : Francis McDonald

Gender : Male

Character Name : Garmiskar

Original Name : William 'Wee Willie' Davis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lesh Lakish

Original Name : John Miljan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Fat Philistine Merchant Wearing No Robe

Original Name : Arthur Q. Bryan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Spectator

Original Name : Kasey Rogers

Gender : Female

Character Name : Lord of Ashdod

Original Name : Victor Varconi

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lord of Gath

Original Name : John Parrish

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lord of Ekron

Original Name : Frank Wilcox

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lord of Ashkelon

Original Name : Russell Hicks

Gender : Male

Character Name : First Priest of Dagon

Original Name : Boyd Davis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Spectator at Temple

Original Name : Bert Moorhouse

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lord Sharif

Original Name : Fritz Leiber

Gender : Male

Character Name : Leader of Philistine Soldiers

Original Name : Mike Mazurki

Gender : Male

Character Name : Merchant Prince

Original Name : Davison Clark

Gender : Male

Character Name : Wounded Messenger

Original Name : George Reeves

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bar Simon

Original Name : Pedro de Cordoba

Gender : Male

Character Name : Village Barber

Original Name : Frank Reicher

Gender : Male

Character Name : Prince

Original Name : Colin Tapley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Screaming Temple Spectator (uncredited)

Original Name : Dorothy Adams

Gender : Female

Character Name : Temple Spectator (uncredited)

Original Name : Claire Du Brey

Gender : Female

Character Name : Narrator (uncredited)

Original Name : Cecil B. DeMille

Gender : Male

Character Name : Soldier at Temple (uncredited)

Original Name : Dick Foote

Gender : Male

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Byron Foulger

Gender : Male

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2022-06-24

Maybe not one of Cecil B. De Mille's better biblical epics, this, but it's still an enjoyable, if slightly long, watch with Hedy Lamarr on good form as the eponymous temptress. Snubbed by "Samson" (Victor Mature) in favour of her beautiful but fickle sister "Samadar" (Angela Lansbury) whom is subsequently killed, she sets out - with the aid of the Saran of Gaza (George Sanders), to find the secret behind the strength of the handsome, strong and decent man and use it do ensure his disgrace and downfall. De Mille uses a certain amount of cinematic licence with the biblical verses upon which this is based, but that does it no harm - it is a live, fairly action-packed romantic adventure that looks every inch the part. Sumptuous settings and costumes give it a visual richness and Victor Young has written a score than accompanies the grandeur of the visuals well, too. The acting, well that's quite another matter though. Lamarr is efficient, certainly, but Mature and Sanders are both as wooden as a picket fence. They deliver their dialogue as if they were reading it straight from off-screen cue cards. There is a great deal of activity filmed on sound stages that, though colourful, does limit the imagination (especially the terrifying stuffed lion that starts off the whole enterprise in the first place). George Barnes did try quite hard to photograph the legendary denouement creatively, but even that is just too stage bound to be wholly effective. Luckily, for me anyway, it leaves out much of the moralising. It's about power, avarice, betrayal, maybe even love and ultimately redemption but the narrative is left to deliver what messages we choose to receive, rather than having pontificating monologues aimed between our eyes. That helps to keep this a decent example of entertaining, big screen cinema that delivers a feast for your eyes, if not so much for your brain.